At least eight people, including three children, lost their lives after a seven-storey building collapsed in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Monday, authorities confirmed. Several others are believed to be trapped under the rubble.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) reported that the building, located in the eastern part of Freetown and thought to be both residential and commercial, collapsed between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm (GMT).
“Thus far, six survivors have been rescued from the rubble, while eight victims have been confirmed dead,” the NDMA said in a statement. The victims include three adult males, two adult females, two girls under the age of five, and one boy under five.
Rescue teams, aided by two cranes, continued their efforts throughout the afternoon, with authorities confirming that more individuals were still trapped. Some of the trapped victims have been able to communicate their locations to rescuers.
An AFP journalist on the scene witnessed desperate responders using their bare hands, shovels, and pickaxes in an urgent search for survivors. One resident, 33-year-old Mohamed Camara, who had left his home earlier that morning, tearfully revealed that his wife and three children were among those trapped beneath the wreckage.
Eyewitnesses said the building housed dozens of residents. While the exact cause of the collapse remains unclear, police have launched an investigation.
Joseph Sesay, a 19-year-old bread seller, recounted hearing a loud noise followed by the ground shaking as the building crumbled around 11:00 am.
Large crowds gathered at the scene, where piles of concrete slabs lay next to neighbouring structures with corrugated metal roofs.
The NDMA reiterated its commitment to the rescue mission, stating “We are committed to the rescue efforts, hoping to recover more victims trapped beneath the collapsed structure”.
The agency also emphasised its ongoing efforts to conduct vulnerability assessments to prevent future collapses, as building safety remains a significant concern in Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest nations, where structures are often poorly built using low-quality materials.
